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In a world where the very concept of democracy faces challenges, the 12th Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) Annual Meeting shed light on a crucial and timely topic. Held on September 7 & 8, 2023, in the charming city of Batumi, Georgia, this highly anticipated event delved into the intricate and essential dialogue between local authorities and citizens within the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries.

Within the rich landscape of democratic principles, local democracy serves as a cornerstone, ensuring the broader democratic fabric remains resilient and vibrant. As global discourse sometimes casts doubts on the effectiveness of different governance models, it becomes ever more evident that the core strength of democracy lies in the active participation of its citizens.

The CORLEAP Annual Meeting underscored the imperative for a better democracy achieved through active engagement. The event was aimed at strengthening the involvement of local and regional authorities in promoting decentralisation in the countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP), promoting local democracy and exploring new ways of cooperation between the local and regional authorities in the EU Member States and those in the EaP countries, with the support of partner organisations.

The meeting was aimed at strengthening the involvement of local and regional authorities in promoting decentralisation in the countries of the EaP

Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General, took part in the event within the session “Local authorities’ dialogue with citizens in EaP countries” and shared her insights and expertise, casting a spotlight on the theme of local democracy and citizen engagement in the EaP. Mrs. Valmorbida brought to the forefront the practical experiences and success stories from ALDA’s extensive work in strengthening local democracy across Europe and beyond, and she presented the good practices of members and partners of the Association in the EaP concerning citizen participation and democracy promotion. 

The strategic collaboration between ALDA and CORLEAP exemplified the power of unity and shared objectives. Having the same priorities and being based on the same core values, these entities significantly contributed to enhance political work and developmental progress within the EaP region.

The 12th CORLEAP Annual Meeting provided an invaluable avenue for renewed dedication to the principles of local democracy and citizen engagement. The event contributed to foster collaboration among organisations, share experiences, and envision a future where the power of local democracy and citizen participation becomes a transformative force in shaping societies.

The meeting was an exceptional platform for participants to explore and solidify the role of local democracy in the broader democratic fabric. It reinforced the idea that active citizen engagement is not merely a call to action; it is a catalyst for lasting, positive change.

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🇬🇪 Read the news in Georgian
🇷🇴 Read the news in Romanian
🇺🇦 Read the news in Ukrainian

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The project aims at educating on the uses and possibilities of new digital technologies in the field of virtual reality, augmented reality and the metaverse. It will support the development of digital skills in the public sector contributing to its ongoing digital transition, meanwhile fostering innovation and accessibility to public services. The involved municipalities are called to think about how to use new digital technologies to further improve their services, exploring new ways to address societal issues and enhancing citizens’ engagement in policy-making.
Focusing on technologies that could take centre stage in the coming years, the project foresees training activities that will provide public officers with tools to both understand a digital context that keeps growing and changing and to improve the level of digitalisation of their working environment.

Objectives:

The objective of the project is not only to set the basis for innovative public services that are partially or entirely provided through digital tools and immersive technologies, but also to experiment new ways to engage citizens in policy-making. This way, citizens can directly interact with local authorities through digital spaces that offer opportunities to provide feedback, ask questions and directly reach elected and non-elected officers.

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This webpage will serve as a website for the project, so as to ensure better visibility for the project, which will in fact benefit from the already established visibility and network of the ALDA website.

In today’s digital generation, gamification has become a popular tactic to encourage specific behaviors, and to increase motivation and engagement to get the knowledge and skills. 

VALUEBOX aims to enable educational staff to build an inclusive and high quality education as well as the European dimension of teaching in secondary schools, integrating those with fewer opportunities which are paramount for creating and maintaining a cohesive European society. Specifically, VALUEBOX focuses on fostering the teaching of the values included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, such as Human Dignity, Freedom, Democracy, Equality, Solidarity and Justice. In order to achieve these goals, the partners of VALUEBOX will provide teachers with:

  • A Competence Framework for Teachers(COFT)
  • A Gamified Self Assessment and Recommendation Tool for Teachers(SERT)
  • A Gamified Open Online Course For Teachers(OOC)

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of VALUEBOX are:

  • Promoting social inclusion and improving  the outreach to people with fewer opportunities.
  • Promoting teachers’ ability to monitor their teaching competences of social, civic, intercultural and common values.
  • Empowering teachers’ competences and providing practical tools to raise awareness and understand the European Union context, notably regarding the common EU values, the principles of unity and diversity.

The self-assessment and recommendation tool is a self-assessment platform designed to support teachers in assessing their preparation and current competences for integrating the Common European Values into their teaching practices. Check it out!

SERT / Self-assessment and Recommendation Tool

The Gamified Open Online Course is a platform offering access to training modules on each value included in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, context (namely Human Dignity, Freedom, Democracy, Equality, Solidarity and Justice).
Each course module is divided into 3 sub-modules that respectively delve into a theoretical part, a second part presenting teaching tools and references to teach the chosen value and finally a part dedicated to good practices and examples implemented to foster the learning of that value.

OOC / Gamified Open Online Courses

NEWSLETTER

Stay ahead of the curve with the VALUEBOX Project newsletter! Discover how we’re revolutionising education across Europe by promoting fundamental rights and inclusive learning through fun, engaging gamification tools.

Get exclusive updates, inspiring stories, and innovative resources delivered straight to your inbox—designed to empower educators and create inclusive classrooms.

Don’t miss out—join a community that’s reshaping the future of education! Sign up now!

Sign up to VALUEBOX Newsletter

Should you have missed previous issues of the Valuebox Newsletter, find them below and catch-up with all the news!

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The cultural and creative sectors have an important role to play in the continuous transition of our societies and are at the heart of the creative economy. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Europe in spring 2020, the CCS have been among the negatively affected sectors. The growing relevance of entrepreneurship in the arts and culture sector is closely related to the emergence of the creative industries. Creative industries are the activities which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and protected by intellectual property, and these industries include advertisement, architecture, art and antiques, crafts, fashion, design, film, performing arts, music, tv and radio, leisure software (video games), and publishing. General objective of CreateUp is to reduce creative unemployed people and offer effective strategies for development of relevant and high-quality skills and competencies. The key target groups are trainers working with creative adults. In 36 months the project aims to empower educators on how to prepare adults for effective creative entrepreneurship in CCI sectors, how to support them and how to link with the CCI employers sustainably.

Objectives:

  • Reduce the number of creative unemployed people in the society
  • Foster favourable ecosystems for cultural and creative industries, promoting access to finance, innovation capacity, fair remuneration of authors and creators and cross-sectoral cooperation
  • Promote the skills needed by cultural and creative sectors, including digital, entrepreneurial, traditional and specialised skills
  • Test an innovative mentoring programme for CCI employers on how to set-up and support high quality entrepreneurship opportunities with their limited resources
  • Have creative people in Europe can use to reinforce their creative competences under a perspective of entrepreneurship, that resizes and enhances their professional potential and their personal growth

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The PAVE project is dedicated to fostering peace, intercultural dialogue, and volunteerism among young people in the European Union. Through peace education and hands-on experiences, PAVE aims to raise awareness about the importance of peaceful relations among nations, communities, and individuals. By connecting European youth with the realities of conflicts, past and present, such as those in Ukraine, Northern Ireland, and the Balkans, the project encourages a deeper understanding of conflict consequences and a sense of European solidarity. Key activities of the PAVE project include an immersive 7-day International Peace Academy and an international volunteering program, with 96 youth participating in week-long volunteering experiences in conflict-impacted communities.

Objectives:

As a general objective, the project aims at promoting peace in the EU via fostering peace education, intercultural dialogue and volunteering for young people. To reach this objective, the PAVE project aims at achieving the following specific objectives:

  • To foster youth volunteering in environments where conflict in a broader sense is a reality, supporting a sense of European solidarity.
  • To educate and raise awareness among the European youth on the importance of peaceful relations between States, communities and individuals
  • To enable European youth to learn first-hand about the consequences of the current war in Ukraine, the past conflicts in Northern Ireland and in the Balkans, as well as to gain experience in dealing with the emergencies and the conflict past by organisations working on the ground.

Activities and results of the PAVE project:

Read more about activities of the project and their results:

Join the PAVE Community of Interest
Explore our Peace Education Training Modules
Discover the Journey of the International Peace Academy
Explore resources from the trainings
Experience the Impact of Our Volunteering Weeks
Explore the resources from the Civic Advocacy training
Read and Share PAVE Policy Papers
Support the #European_Peace_Is_Not_For_Granted Campaign
Discover the Journey of the International Peace Forum

Follow PAVE on Social Media:

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AT A GLANCE

The aim of CIRAN is to reconcile two, sometimes conflicting, societal objectives and needs: protecting environmentally sensitive areas and increasing socio-economic resilience.
In an era of uncertainty and demanding outcomes for people and government, CIRAN will deliver a functional solution to resolve such conflicting interests with the help of endorsed ‘social contract’ models that consider the dynamics, links, and complexity of coupled social-ecological systems, enabling streamlined permitting and policymaking processes, to be taken up and continuously adapted/improved by a Community of Practice that will remain active after the project funding period.

Objectives:

CIRAN – CrItical RAw materials extraction in enviroNmentally protected areas – is an EU-funded Horizon Europe project that aims at reconciling two societal objectives and needs: protecting environmentally sensitive areas and increasing socio-economic resilience. As a result, it will create recommendations to reconcile the increasing demand of critical raw materials with the need to protect natural areas in Europe with the help of communities and experts.

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Reshaping European Advances towards green Leadership Through Deliberative Approaches and Learning

AT A GLANCE

REAL DEAL sets out to stimulate a pan-European debate involving different stakeholder groups, with the aims of reshaping citizens’ and stakeholders’ active participation and deliberation in the green and just transition. It brings together excellent research with experienced practitioners of deliberative democracy from a wide range of disciplines including environmental rights and the law of public participation, ethics and responsible innovation, gender studies and ecofeminism, psychology, geography, urban planning and applied sustainability studies. In a massive co-creating exercise, it will research, test and validate innovative tools, formats and processes for deliberative democracy.

Objectives:

Objective 1. Provide an analysis and selection of meaningful, effective, representative, inclusive, gender-sensitive, youth sensitive and impactful citizens’ participation and deliberation criteria, processes, concepts and formats in the EGD and its wider sustainable development objectives;
Objective 2. Build collaboration from a large spectrum of CSOs, researchers and policymakers and other stakeholders across Europe on deliberation of different areas of EGD and its wider sustainable development objectives;
Objective 3. Test and validate innovations in deliberative tools, formats and processes across the EU and its neighbourhood related to topics relevant for the EGD involving representative samples of citizens from all cross-sections of society with a specific focus on marginalised and vulnerable groups, gender equality and youth;
Objective 4. Evaluate the success of tested innovations in deliberative tools, formats and processes and elaborate recommendations of meaningful, effective, representative, inclusive, gender-sensitive, youth sensitive and impactful citizen’s and CSOs participation and deliberation;
Objective 5. Inform, engage, and build capacity of citizens and other stakeholders on the EGD and its wider sustainable development objectives as well as the deliberative processes implemented in this project.

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Eager to be part of a transformative event that promises to shape the future of European democracy? We invite you to join us in Strasbourg (France), from September 26 to 29, 2023, for “Road to the 2024 European elections: Exploring European Institutions through Study Visits and ALDA’s Events”. As the city houses the Council of Europe, it holds a unique position in shaping European policies and practices.

Participation is open to a diverse range of individuals and groups, including French and international NGOs, Local Authorities, associations of Local Authorities, committed Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), passionate activists, and engaged citizens mainly based in Strasbourg, including ALDA’s member network and, especially, from the following countries: Spain, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland, Czech Republic.

This inclusive approach underscores the event’s dedication to fostering collaboration and empowering local democracy advocates.

Discover all the exciting details and secure your spot by clicking here. Let’s forge a path to a brighter democratic future together. Accommodation and travel costs are covered according to ALDA’s guidelines!

Participate in the “Road to the 2024 EU elections” event to shape the future of European Democracy!

The event will take place within the framework of “Local democracy responding to global challenges – an alliance between local authorities and civil society at the heart of a Europe of rights” an ambitious project, which operates as part of the three-year contract “Strasbourg, European Capital 2021-2023” and is funded by five institutions dedicated to strengthening democracy, stimulating citizen participation, and promoting good governance. These institutions are: the Bas-Rhin Prefecture, the Grand Est Region, the European Community of Alsace, the City of Strasbourg, and the Strasbourg Eurometropole.

At its core, this event is driven by two paramount objectives that intertwine to shape the future of European democracy. Firstly, it seeks to strengthen the bedrock of European principles and values, including democracy and active citizenship, with a laser focus on the local level. Through dynamic cooperation and the exchange of invaluable experiences, the aim is to enrich the very tapestry of European democracy.

Secondly, this event serves as a platform to further cement Strasbourg’s standing as a true European capital of democracy and an open forum for robust democratic discourse. Strasbourg’s influence on European democracy is poised to expand, solidifying its central role in shaping the trajectory of European democracy on both local and global fronts. Together, we forge the path toward a future where Strasbourg’s influence knows no bounds in the realm of European democracy.

What are you waiting for? Register here!

The event will be held in ENG () with possibility of translation to FR (

Eager to be part of a transformative event that promises to shape the future of European democracy? We invite you to join us in Strasbourg (France), from September 26 to 29, 2023, for “Road to the 2024 European elections: Exploring European Institutions through Study Visits and ALDA’s Events”. As the city houses the Council of Europe, it holds a unique position in shaping European policies and practices.

Participation is open to a diverse range of individuals and groups, including French and international NGOs, Local Authorities, associations of Local Authorities, committed Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), passionate activists, and engaged citizens mainly based in Strasbourg, including ALDA’s member network and, especially, from the following countries: Spain, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland, Czech Republic.

This inclusive approach underscores the event’s dedication to fostering collaboration and empowering local democracy advocates.

Discover all the exciting details and secure your spot by clicking here. Let’s forge a path to a brighter democratic future together. Accommodation and travel costs are covered according to ALDA’s guidelines!

Participate in the “Road to the 2024 EU elections” event to shape the future of European Democracy!

The event will take place within the framework of “Local democracy responding to global challenges – an alliance between local authorities and civil society at the heart of a Europe of rights” an ambitious project, which operates as part of the three-year contract “Strasbourg, European Capital 2021-2023” and is funded by five institutions dedicated to strengthening democracy, stimulating citizen participation, and promoting good governance. These institutions are: the Bas-Rhin Prefecture, the Grand Est Region, the European Community of Alsace, the City of Strasbourg, and the Strasbourg Eurometropole.

At its core, this event is driven by two paramount objectives that intertwine to shape the future of European democracy. Firstly, it seeks to strengthen the bedrock of European principles and values, including democracy and active citizenship, with a laser focus on the local level. Through dynamic cooperation and the exchange of invaluable experiences, the aim is to enrich the very tapestry of European democracy.

Secondly, this event serves as a platform to further cement Strasbourg’s standing as a true European capital of democracy and an open forum for robust democratic discourse. Strasbourg’s influence on European democracy is poised to expand, solidifying its central role in shaping the trajectory of European democracy on both local and global fronts. Together, we forge the path toward a future where Strasbourg’s influence knows no bounds in the realm of European democracy.

What are you waiting for? Register here!

The event will be held in ENG () with possibility of translation to FR (

Eager to be part of a transformative event that promises to shape the future of European democracy? We invite you to join us in Strasbourg (France), from September 26 to 29, 2023, for “Road to the 2024 European elections: Exploring European Institutions through Study Visits and ALDA’s Events”. As the city houses the Council of Europe, it holds a unique position in shaping European policies and practices.

Participation is open to a diverse range of individuals and groups, including French and international NGOs, Local Authorities, associations of Local Authorities, committed Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), passionate activists, and engaged citizens mainly based in Strasbourg, including ALDA’s member network and, especially, from the following countries: Spain, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland, Czech Republic.

This inclusive approach underscores the event’s dedication to fostering collaboration and empowering local democracy advocates.

Discover all the exciting details and secure your spot by clicking here. Let’s forge a path to a brighter democratic future together. Accommodation and travel costs are covered according to ALDA’s guidelines!

Participate in the “Road to the 2024 EU elections” event to shape the future of European Democracy!

The event will take place within the framework of “Local democracy responding to global challenges – an alliance between local authorities and civil society at the heart of a Europe of rights” an ambitious project, which operates as part of the three-year contract “Strasbourg, European Capital 2021-2023” and is funded by five institutions dedicated to strengthening democracy, stimulating citizen participation, and promoting good governance. These institutions are: the Bas-Rhin Prefecture, the Grand Est Region, the European Community of Alsace, the City of Strasbourg, and the Strasbourg Eurometropole.

At its core, this event is driven by two paramount objectives that intertwine to shape the future of European democracy. Firstly, it seeks to strengthen the bedrock of European principles and values, including democracy and active citizenship, with a laser focus on the local level. Through dynamic cooperation and the exchange of invaluable experiences, the aim is to enrich the very tapestry of European democracy.

Secondly, this event serves as a platform to further cement Strasbourg’s standing as a true European capital of democracy and an open forum for robust democratic discourse. Strasbourg’s influence on European democracy is poised to expand, solidifying its central role in shaping the trajectory of European democracy on both local and global fronts. Together, we forge the path toward a future where Strasbourg’s influence knows no bounds in the realm of European democracy.

What are you waiting for? Register here!

The event will be held in ENG (🇬🇧) with possibility of translation to FR (🇫🇷).

DOCUMENTS

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The second Result of the ReCAP project has been finalised and it is now available online: the Art and Culture Toolbox is an innovative and wide set of instruments, mostly dedicated to youth workers, aimed at providing supporting tools to enhance social inclusion and empowerment of disadvantaged youngsters living during the post-pandemic era in Europe.

The Toolbox is the result of a great collaborative effort among 10 ReCAP project partners, coordinated by La Piccionaia: the work done is based upon the outcomes of the Project Result 1 Analysis of needs and local context, and the tools collected in the document were tested by the youth workers during the ReCAP Training of Trainers in June and July, which has been an essential phase for the development of the Toolbox.

The project partner La Piccionaia, responsible for the project result, coordinated the process of creation of the toolbox through two steps:

  • Collection of the inputs from the partners. Each partner, together with their youth workers, proposed a series of existing cultural, artistic, creative, and theatrical tools, used or usable with vulnerable young people. The criteria for the selection of the tools was previously agreed by all the partners, who were asked to provide different types of contributions (youth worker’s direct experience, youth workers’ knowledge, relevant theories, and literature in the specific field);
  • Adaptation of the tools. In order to adapt the collected tools to the specific needs of vulnerable young people in the post-pandemic context, emerged from Project Result 1, the partners were asked to identify and propose possible solutions for their implementation in the case of challenging situations (e.g. lockdown).

The Toolbox represents an innovative instrument in the field of youth employment to promote social inclusion

The Toolbox represents an innovation in the field of youth work in general: youth organisations that already implement art and culture as methods to promote social inclusion will finally dispose of an official tool to adress specific youngsters’ needs of the post-pandemic employment context. Moreover, the creation of the Toolbox upon the solid preliminary analysis of PR1 ensures that this tool will effectively and positively impact the quality of the youth work of the partners. 

Thanks to this useful toolbox and to the training received, 10 couples of youth workers will now be able to implement the tools that they specifically selected in their respective local contexts, while supporting vulnerable young people. The final goal is to design a specific Roadmap for social inclusion (Project Result 3): the Roadmap will lead the way of each partner to successfully intervene in their specific local communities and to become multipliers of the Toolbox, beyond the consortium.

After the publication in English, the Toolbox will be soon available in Bulgarian, French, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish. 

You can consult the toolbox here.

Read more about the ReCAP project: https://www.alda-europe.eu/recap-2/

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🇦🇲 Read the news in Armenian
🇬🇪 Read the news in Georgian
🇷🇴 Read the news in Romanian
🇺🇦 Read the news in Ukrainian

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AT A GLANCE

Initiated in January 2023, the WE ACT project aims to strengthen the representation and participation of women in the political sphere at the local level in Türkiye. It is supported by the European Union Delegation to Türkiye under the Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy, and is implemented by ALDA together with the Turkish association Daktilo 1984 for a duration of 30 months within the 7 regions of Türkiye.

Objectives:

● General objective: Improve the exercise of political and civic rights for women and LGBTIQ+ persons, namely at the local level;
● Specific Objective 1: Increase the political participation of women in the upcoming local elections of Türkiye (2024) in the 7 regions of Türkiye;
● Specific Objective 2: Improve conditions for a democratic debate on gender issues at the local policy level – making progress in all regions of Türkiye.

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AT A GLANCE

Social and economic disparities remain evident in central Europe and negatively influence cohesion. Social exclusion and poverty also affect some regions more than others and this needs to change. To do so, the 3P4SSE project goes beyond state-of-the-art social innovation projects. The partners adopt a place-based clustering approach when addressing specific challenges of social and solidarity economies. Amongst others, they create a multilevel network scheme based on public-private partnership models and establish strategic cooperation among stakeholders.

Objectives:

3P4SSE aims to fill Central Europe regional gaps in addressing weak economic sectors (with low added value) and disadvantaged people, by promoting the territorial clusterisation of Social and Solidarity Economies (SSEs), creating a multilevel networks scheme at European and regional scales, based on Public-Private Partnership (3Ps) and a strategic EU cooperation.

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AT A GLANCE

Technological innovations are transforming cities with a huge potential for improving people’s lives. But they need to be deployed responsibly. The GINEVRA project helps cities to effectively govern transformative innovations, such as autonomous vehicles. The partners jointly develop governance guidelines and new citizen engagement tools and test them in specific pilot actions. They also design a transnational strategy for responsibly governing the introduction of transformative innovations.

Objectives:

Strengthen institutional capacities of small/medium Central European cities in responsible, multi-level governance of transformative innovations that significantly impact integrated territorial development.

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AT A GLANCE

Cities are growing in central Europe, often turning green areas into grey concrete places. This urban sprawl accelerates negative effects of climate change such as urban heat islands. The GreenScape-CE project works on reversing the trend by making urban areas greener again. The partnership strengthens planning capacities and pilots the application of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure approaches in five cities, which are significantly affected by urban heat island effects.

Objectives:

The primary mission of the GreenScape CE project is to integrate nature-based solutions (NBS) and green infrastructure (GI) into grey urban environments, by using a multifaceted approach, involving peer-to-peer learning, transnational capacity building, and participatory decision-making. What sets GreenScape CE apart is its innovative blend of nature-based solutions with traditional grey infrastructure, which promises to enhance urban resilience significantly.

The results of this endeavour will benefit local governments and citizens alike. Knowledge exchange, multi-level governance reinforcement, tailored capacity building events, and the implementation of NBS pilot actions are all geared toward improving well-being and fostering social inclusion.

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AT A GLANCE

The Charter Project Africa supports African Union member states fulfil their commitments as outlined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

Objectives:

The project encourages the use of civic technology to boost citizen voices, particularly those of underrepresented groups. To achieve this, the project offers both financial and technical resources in the form of grants, expertise, and networks to initiatives in democracy at national level in 11 countries, as well as at the regional and continental levels.

The project builds connections between citizens and civic society, analyzing the ACDEG’s role in achieving positive change.

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In the heart of the European landscape, the city of Strasbourg is poised to host a significant and eagerly awaited event. The 45th Plenary Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, scheduled from 24 to 26 October, 2023, is set to assemble a distinguished congregation of regional and local authority representatives. This pivotal assembly will engage in robust discourse and strategic planning, aimed at navigating the complex dynamics of contemporary governance.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, operating under the auspices of the Council of Europe, has consistently demonstrated its commitment to advancing democratic ideals and promoting effective governance mechanisms at the grassroots level. This year’s 45th Plenary Session acquires exceptional significance as it coincides with a period marked by economic instability and geopolitical flux. In this context, the Congress emerges as a unifying platform, fostering mutual understanding and collaborative problem-solving among diverse stakeholders.

The thematic focal point of the forthcoming session, “Local Democracy and Resilience in Challenging Times“, reflects the intricate tapestry of present-day challenges that transcend geographical boundaries. The chosen theme resonates profoundly as Europe grapples with multifaceted issues, such as climate change, shifting political landscapes, and the evolving nature of global interconnectedness. The capacity of local and regional authorities to navigate these complexities and cultivate resilience within communities remains paramount.

The Plenary Session agenda has been meticulously curated to ensure an intellectually stimulating and strategically insightful engagement. The program features a series of thought-provoking debates, each strategically aligned with the Congress’s overarching mission of empowering communities. Key topics on the agenda include:

  • Youth Engagement and Conflict Resolution
  • Safeguarding Democratic Principles
  • Advancing Urban Governance: Localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida will take the floor during the event and will contribute to the discourse on youth participation’s contribution to conflict resolution and resilient societies

Notably, the 45th Plenary Session of the Congress will witness the esteemed presence of Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General. Her participation is a testament to the enduring partnership between ALDA and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. In recognition of this collaboration, Antonella Valmorbida has been invited to address the session on Wednesday, October 25th. Her insights will contribute to the discourse on youth participation’s contribution to conflict resolution and resilient societies.

Remarkably, the timing of the 45th Plenary Session aligns intriguingly with the 30-year anniversary of ALDA’s activities. This confluence of milestones adds a layer of significance to the event, amplifying the collective commitment to democratic excellence and effective governance.
Amid the gathering of distinguished attendees, the 45th Plenary Session symbolises the collective commitment to informed governance and robust problem-solving. The event serves as an acknowledgment of the intricate challenges ahead, while affirming the unwavering resolve of local and regional authorities to address these challenges.

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On September 16, 2023, within the HEARD project’s framework, the Municipality of Vimercate (Italy), in collaboration with ALDA+, will host a public event that will spark stimulating discussions and foster a deeper understanding of crucial social issues. The project HEARD focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on democratic debates, enjoyment of fundamental rights and gender issues. The search for an adequate response to overcome the crisis that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic should be a result of the participation and involvement of different social actors, civil society representatives and states’ decision-making bodies. By actively involving partners from 9 different European countries in every phase of the project, the project HEARD aims to measure the impact of the pandemic in terms of respect of the rule of law, fullfilment of democratic values and enjoyment of fundamental human rights, with special attention to the implementation of citizens and residents’ social rights.

The event will be held at the Sala Falcone Borsellino in the Civic Library of Vimercate starting from 10.30 AM and it will include 3 public debate sessions on how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted different aspects of citizen’s life. Public debates will therefore consist on fruitful exchanges between experts, scholars, academics and committed citizens who will come together to explore the topics of democracy, fundamental rights, and gender equality.

The active participation of citizenship it’s crucial for the success of the event

Below you can find information on sessions’ schedule:

SESSION 1 – from 10.30 AM to 12.30 PM – How did COVID-19 impact the public debate?

SESSION 2 – from 14.00 PM to 15.35 PM – How did COVID-19 impact the enjoyment of fundamental rights?

SESSION 3 – from 15.45 PM to 17.00 PM – How did COVID-19 impact the women’s work-life balance?

The active participation of citizenship it’s crucial for the success of the event: everyone who might have something to say is invited to participate.

For more information on the event you can consult the Municipality of Vimercate’s Facebook page, where you will find general and specific agendas concerning the different sessions of the event.

If you are interested in participating, register at this link: https://forms.gle/ZFBLyxiEbJs873pY9

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We are delighted to announce that ALDA will join the 2023 edition of the World Forum for Democracy and its side events that will be held in Strasbourg (France) from 6 to 8 November 2023, based on the theme of “Democracy=Peace?”.

Our proposal to introduce the Local Democracy Agencies as innovative instruments to bring peace through the promotion and support of democracy has been selected to be presented during the World Forum for Democracy 2023.

The ALDA initiative will be illustrated by the Association Secretary General, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, during the 3rd Forum Lab connected to “Social justice and equality” on Tuesday 7 November, 2023.

ALDA will present the Local Democracy Agencies as innovative instruments of peace and cohesion

Inaugurated in 2012, the WFD is a unique platform for global dialogue and democratic participation which brings new ideas into the work of the Council of Europe and promotes its principles across the world.

The Forum aims to foster a positive debate on the challenges facing democracy worldwide to find solutions through several initiatives and practices, contributing to sustainable peace. More than 2500 participants from over 100 countries will be engaged!

The event is open and free for anyone who wants to share ideas on how to make democracy stronger. The full programme is already available and registration to attend the Forum in person will open from 4 September 2023.

Further information will be communicated soon on the website!

ALDA is committed to following up on the initiative, cooperating with its network and implementing its proposal to enhance democracy, and is looking forward to participating in the 2023 edition of the Forum.

DOCUMENTS

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In a captivating rendezvous of visionaries and innovators, the Kick-off meeting of the GINEVRA project  – Governance of transformative innovation in Central European cities: the AV case, unfolded, casting a spotlight on the thrilling journey into the realm of transformative innovations. Held on 13 & 14 June, 2023, in Bialystok (Poland), this project meeting emerged as the cornerstone for understanding the GINEVRA approach and workplan. 

In the vibrant mosaic of the GINEVRA project, funded by the Interreg CE programme of the EU, each partner present in the event, brings a unique perspective and a shared commitment to transformative innovations. As the GINEVRA project unfolds, these partners stand as beacons of innovation, each with a unique story to tell and a vision of a brighter, more sustainable future. Together, they write the narrative of transformative innovations in Central Europe.

The two-day meeting started with a focus on Technical Work Package 1 (WP1) – Responsible, Multi-level Governance of Transformative Innovation. WP1, led by HÁRFA, forms the bedrock for the project’s future endeavours. In the spirit of knowledge-sharing and collaboration, partners were encouraged to actively participate in shaping the project’s future. 

The meeting was then punctuated by three enlightening masterclasses, each shedding light on a crucial facet of the GINEVRA project. These masterclasses aimed at equipping partners with the knowledge needed to navigate the complex world of AVs and transformative innovations.

The GINEVRA partner meeting was more than just a gathering of organisations; it was the unveiling of a journey

The second day ushered in more knowledge and strategy. It began with the presentation of technical WP2 – Responsible, Multi-level Governance of Transformative Innovation: Toolkit and Capacity Building, delivered by EMFIE.

The second Work Package, scheduled to start in September, will focus on two pillars:

  • Stakeholders (A2.1): Co-creating tools for wide stakeholder engagement and capacity-building.
  • Citizens (A2.2): Co-creating tools for citizen participation and capacity-building.

As the day unfolded, partners discussed the way forward, underlining the importance of effective tools and strategies for stakeholders and citizen engagement. Among this, the development of an online AV Readiness Assessment Tool, designed to help cities evaluate their AV readiness, took centre stage.

The day culminated with the inaugural GINEVRA Steering Committee Meeting, a gathering of minds committed to steering the project toward its goals. This session shed light on the broader perspective, with discussions on project reporting and management. As the meeting drew to a close, plans for the next project meetings were unveiled, ensuring the journey ahead is paved with purposeful collaboration and shared vision. The GINEVRA partner meeting was more than just a gathering of organisations; it was the unveiling of a journey. A journey into a future where AV transforms our cities, a journey where responsible innovation guides our path, and a journey where stakeholders and citizens alike have a voice.

As the meeting concluded, it left a trail of excitement, anticipation, and a shared commitment to making transformative innovation safe and beneficial for all. The GINEVRA project is not just about autonomous vehicles; it’s about reshaping our urban landscapes for a brighter tomorrow. Stay tuned as the GINEVRA project continues to pave the way for responsible, multi-level innovation!

Check the official LinkedIn page of GINEVRA here!